Drying apparatus



Feb. 19, 1935. r 1 F. STEBLER 1,991,710 7 DRYING APPARATUS Filed July 30, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 i Feb; 19, 1935. F. STEBLER 1,991,710

. DRYING APPARATUS I Filed July so, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1HIlIIIIlllllllllllllllllllllll wllmnnmhz;

Patented Feb. 19, 1935 1,991,710

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

m Stebler, Riverside, Callf., assigno'r to Food Machinery Corporation, San Jose, Call, a cornotation of Delaware 7 Y Application July so, 1932, semi No. ceases Claims. (01. se-iz) This invention relates to an apparatus for mahner to contact all surfaces of the fruit with drying fruit or the like wherein the fruit is adthe absorbent material carried by the bars, thus vanced through the machine by impulsive and thoroughly removing the adherent moisture from rotative movement imparted to the fruit through the passing fruit.

5 peculiarly arranged advancing and rolling mech- Because of the gentle movement imparted to 5 the fruit by the component of motion generated In the gathering of fruit from the orchards by the several series of movable bars the fruit is more or less of debris is accumulated with the constantly rolled over and over and all surfaces fruit and the fruit itself carries dust and dirt are brought into contact with the absorbent ma- 10 and sometimes more or less spray residue that terial many times during its transit through the 10 has accumulated during the growing season so machine. The emciency of the drying is conthat it becomes necessary and desirable that trolled more or less by th apidi y f ebserption the fruit be washed thoroughly and dried as or by the length of time the fruit is allowed to rethoroughly before being packed for market. main in contact with the absorbent material, the

After the fruit comes from the washing appatime element being controlled by the length of the 15 ratus it carries more or less moisture that adsupporting surface or by the speed of movement heres to the outer surfaces and it is necessary to imparted to the advancing bars. in some eillcient manner evaporate or wipe oil The advancing bars are the set that isfastened this moisture; the wiping apparatus must work to the vertically movable frame member on which most gently with the fruit to avoid abraiding the all of these bars are positioned in a substantially 20 skin surfaces and thereby opening the door for horizontal plane and they are sp c to move future decay. It is preferable that all surfaces between the bars comprising the horizontally "coming in contact with the fruit are of a soft reciprocating. sets. The vertically inclined and yleldingnature and also highly absorbent so movement imparted to the advancing set of bars that the fruit will be gently rubbed and the moiscarries their top surfaces above the top surfaces 25 ture absorbed rather than Just wiped off, the of the horizontally reciprocating bars and theremore absorbent the drying operation, the less by lifts each fruit contacted therewith and causes will the fruit skins be injured and the easier it it to roll forward between the next pair of will be to get the moisture from the pores and horizontally reciprocating bars, where the fruit Small recesses 01 the fruit v rin sremains until another vertical reciprocation 30 The broad general principle of the apparatus when the fruit is again lifted and placed between illustrating an embodiment of the invention coman advanced pair of horizontally reciprocating prises a series of bars forming a carrying surface bars. This repeated movement gradually carover which the fruit is moved and rolled during ries the fruit over the supporting surface, conthe operation of drying and consists of altertinually subjecting it to the wiping and absorbing 35 nately reciprocating bars moving over. a horieffect of the material covering the bars. zontal plane and other alternately reciprocating- There are two frame members supporting and bars moving through vertical planes, all of the controlling the two sets of horizontally movable bars lying in parallel relation to form the supbars, each alternate bar being carried by the P E Surface 1 opposing frame member so that as the frame The bars are preferably of triangular S pe members are given their horizontal reciprocation and their surfaces are covered with an absorbent the set of bars are always moving in Oppo material that hangs pendant therefrom to carry d1 t1 This component of motion minerv away accumulated moisture absorbedllfrom the ated by the several sets of bars moving in unison fr i insures that each fruit is rolled over and over 45 Th v r i y movable Set 0! r all many times during its transit through the mamounted on a fram w k a i iv v r ically chine. During the entire wiping and absorbing H inclined reciprocati n h ou h Su a l mechaoperation no fruit is ever brought into contact nism, while the s 0! r having horizontal with any abrading or skin damaging material movement are mounted on frames that are given or part, of t appgrg,tu3 60 horizontal movement by suitable mechanism. It is th r fore an object ofthe invention to The component of motion imparted to the sevprovide a; drying a paratus for fruit or the like eral setsof bars advance the fruit through the that rolls each individual fruit ver and over apparatus and at the same time wipe it and during the drying operation.

roll it around on the supporting surface in a It is also an object of the invention to provide 55 a fruit drying apparatus wherein the fruit is constantly in contact with wiping and drying material.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a highly efiicient fruit drying apparatus wherein the fruit is given a component of motion that will roll it around over the drying surface and at the same time gradually advance it through the apparatus.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a highly efllcient drying apparatus wherein the moisture carried by washed fruit is almost wholly absorbed instead of wiped therefrom.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a highly efiicient fruit drying apparatus wherein a series of sets of parallel members are given a component of motion whereby to advance fruit resting thereon through the apparatus and at the same time roll and turn the fruit so all-surfaces will contact with the drying and absorbing means.

It is also an object of the invention to so arrange a series of sets of movable bars and impart movement thereto so that each set is moving in a different direction than any of the other sets.

It is an object of the invention to provide a fruit drying apparatus wherein the fruit is moved through the machine by intermittent impulses and theperiods between impulses is utilized for giving each fruit a drying treatment.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a fruit'drying apparatus having sets of movable bars forming a supporting and treating surface for a stream of constantly advancing fruit and for simultaneously imparting to the fruit vertical, rolling and horizontal movement.

With such objects in view as may be inherent in the invention, consisting in the parts and combinations hereinafter set forth and claimed, it is understood that the several necessary parts,

' and combinations constituting the same may be varied in their placement and proportions and general arrangement without departing from the scope and nature of the invention, and in order to make the invention more clearly understood there are shown, somewhat diagrammatically, in the accompanying drawings means and mechanism for placing the same in concrete form without limiting the improvements in their application to the particular construction chosen to illustrate the invention.

Reference being now had to the accompanying drawings a clearer and better understanding of the invention will be had.

Figure 1 represents a plan of an apparatus embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the apparatus.

Figure 4 is a plan detail of the mechanism imparting horizontal reciprocation to the supporting bars.

Figure 5 is a detail of an end of one of the bars to show the manner of attaching and applying the absorbent material.

The numeral 1 represents a general frame work for supporting the entire operative mechanism. 2 is a cross shaft extending across the entire end of the frame 1 and is the main drive shaft for imparting motion to the entire operative mechanism. This shaft may be conveniently driven by a pulley 3 and suitable belt connection. Disposed along each side of the apparatus are rock levers 4, pivotally mounted on the standards of the frame 1, the pendent ends of the levers 4 are secured lpivotally, to a reach bar 5 which connects them all for simultaneous movement. The reach bar 5 is given reciprocating movement by the eccentrics 6 and being suspended from the pendent ends of the rock levers 4, its reciprocating movement imparts a rocking movement to the rock levers 4. The upper ends of the rock levers 4 are pivotally secured to a. frame member '7 on which are secured the cross bars 8, which form the set of advancing bars for moving the fruit through the apparatus. The movement imparted to the rock levers 4 will carry the upper ends in an inclined vertical direction de-.

termined by the arc described by the ends of the rock levers, and since all of the rock levers on both sides of the machine are connected to the reach bars Sand the bars 5 are given simultaneous movement by the two eccentrics it is seen that the frame carrying the cross bars 8 will receive a vertically inclined reciprocation. The position of the frame '1 and the bars 8 in Fig.

' 2 are at their lowest. When the eccentrics 6 are in a position degrees from the position shown they will be at their highest.

The numeral 9 represents a frame member that is adapted to support one set of the cross bars that help to form the fruit supporting and treating surface, 10 indicating how these bars are spaced on the frame and extend across the top of the apparatus.

11 represents another frame member carrying a like number and arrangement of cross bars 12 which are alternately arranged with the bars 8 and 10, the three sets of bars forming the entire support for the fruit as it is treated and carried through the apparatus.

The frame member 9 is supported through the pivots 13 with the L shaped rocker arms 14. These. arms 14 hold the frame member 9 and the cross bars 10 in operative relation with the other sets of bars 8 and 12.

The frame member 11 is likewise supported on the rocker arms 15 which hold this frame andthe cross bars 12 in operative relation with the other sets of bars.

The rocker arms 14 and 15 are pivoted at 16 and are given rocking movement through the medium of the vertical rock shafts 17 carrying the rocking members 18 which have a pivotal connection 19 with the reach bar 5. Asthe'reach bar 5 is "given reciprocation by the eccentric 6 the member 18 is rocked thereby and the arms 14 and 15 given reciprocation to move the supporting bars for the fruit. The universal coupling 20 serves to give free movement to the connecting parts.

The bars 8 having only vertical movement are made just long enough to fill the spacebetween the side confines of the apparatus, but the bars 10 and 12 to which are imparted horizontal reciprocatory movement are made longer than the side confines of the apparatus so that when they are at their extreme movements the ends will not pass inside of-the ends of the bars 8, this arrangement provides the top supporting surface of a uniform width at all times. The dotted ends of the bars 12 are clearly shown in Fig. 1, as extending under the frame member 1 as at 21.

Reference has been made to the surface covering of the bars with an absorbent material to absorb rather than wipe the moisture from the fruit. It should also be mentioned that this fabric material serves another very important purpose in that it provides a soft yielding surface for the fruit and eliminates all possibility of injuring the skins during the rolling and advancing forward through the machine. This -cushioned surface covering the entire supporting area of the machine thus serves the double purpose of acting as a rapid absorbent material as well as a cushioning surface for supporting and moving the fruit without the least possible danger of abrading or bruising the tender skins of the fruits and thereby opening the door for rapid decay.

Operation Fruit or any material to be treated is supplied to the apparatus from the previous machine over the runway at the left of Figure 2 down which it rolls and lands gently on the first of the cross bars 8, 10 and 12 and since the bars 10 and 12' have reciprocating movement in opposed directions the fruit is immediately rolled over on the bars and then as the bars 8 begin their yer tical movement the fruit resting in the space between a 10 and 12 bar and on an 8 bar, is raised up by the advancing 8 bar and caused to roll .7 over the .12 bar and land in the space between another 10 and 12 barand as the 8 bar recedes to its lowest position the fruit is held between the 10 and 12 bars and rolled over and over on the absorbent material covering the tops and sides of the bars and by this multitude of contacts the moisture is quickly absorbed from the surfaces of the fruit. The continued intermittent movement of the fruit forward through theapparatus by the 8 bars and the continued rolling given to the fruit by the alternate reciprocation of the 10 and 12 bars presents the fruit in all possible positions to the absorbent material covering the tops and. sides of the bars so that the last vestige of moisture can be most efficiently removed, and this desirable resultis accomplished with the least possible danger of abrading or in the least injuring the delicate skin surfaces of the fruit through which at a later period, infection would enter to hasten the decay of the fruit.

Although all of the supporting bars are continually moving and the fruit is being constantly rolled around and intermittently moved forward the moving supporting surface remains in substantially a uniform plane and provides a constantly changing surface for the absorption of the moisture from the fruit surfaces.

The. manner of securing the absorbent material to the moving bars as previously mentioned is clearly shown in Fig. 5 which is a somewhat enlarged view of one end of a bar. The-fabric 22 is wrapped around the top and sides of the bar and the. one lower edge may if desired be pinned or sewed to the other portion as at 23 and the pendent flap 24 will act as a drip edge from which the accumulated moisturewill gradually drip from the fabric.

During the foregoing description mention has been made particularly as to the treatment of fruit but applicant wishes it understood that his device is applicable to the handling and treatment of any rollable article and for any purpose other than drying. For example the device would be especially adapted, without any change, to be used as a coating machine for applying a thin fluent coating to rollable articles by simply letting the drip edges of the fabric 24 to dip into a coating solution, or about half of the drip edges could dip into a solution and the other end of the machine could be used for polishing or drying. Other uses are quite obvious.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A means for drying fruit or the like comprising a fruit supporting member having a fabric covering to absorb moisture from fruit in contact therewith, the said fabric covering having a drip edge suspended from the lower portion of said supporting member and out of contact with the fruit for conveying the absorbed moisture from said fruit by capillary movement.

2. An apparatus for drying fruit or the like comprising a horizontally disposed fruit supporting surface made up of spaced bars, a flxed frame work, a single power shaft across the end thereof, eccentrics mounted on said power shaftfa series of rocker arms pivoted to said fixed frame work to rock in vertical planes, reach bars extending horizontally from said eccentrics, each reach bar connected to a plurality of said rocker arms, a movable frame above said fixed frame also connected to said rocker arms, a series of said horizontally disposed supporting bars spaced apart and connected to said movable frame, a series of said horizontal bars positioned between the bars connected to said movable frame, vertically positioned pairs of bar oscillating rocker arms pivotally mounted on said fixed frame to move in vertical planes at substantially right angles to the plane of movement of said first mentioned bars, tie bars connecting one of each pair of said rocker arms and forming the sole support forthe horizontal bars not supported by said movable frame, rock shafts mounted on said flxed frame and having connection with said reach bars and said vertically positioned bar oscillating rocker arms, movement being imparted to said movable elements directly by said single power shaft.

3. An apparatus for drying fruit or the like comprising a horizontal fruit supporting surface made up of a series of spaced movable bars, a soft yielding absorbent fabric material covering said supporting bars to prevent inJury and abrasion to delicate fruit skins, the fabric on each faces, with means for imparting both vertical and horizontal movement to the fabric surfaces to convey fruit along said supporting surface and to roll each fruit as so conveyed to bring all surfaces into contact with the said absorbent fabric.

4. An apparatus for drying fruit or the like comprising a series of spaced horizontally disposed bars forming the support for a mass of fruit, means for moving said spaced bars through arcuate paths as well as vertical and horizontal paths, a soft yielding absorbent material covering each supporting bar to prevent injury or abrasion to the skins of the fruit, the fabric on each bar being a separate and independent piece of material, one edge of each piece of absorbent material extending below the supporting surface to form a drip edge to convey moisture away from the absorbent material contacting with the fruit, the component of motion of said bars tending to roll and convey the fruit to bring all surfaces in direct contact with the softyielding supporting surfaces to remove the moisture therefrom.

5. An apparatus for drying fruit or the like comprising a'fruit supporting surface made up of a series of spaced bars, the bars being spaced a distance less than the smallest fruit handled, each of said supporting bars being covered with a soft yielding absorbent material to prevent injury to the surfaces of delicate fruit, the material oneach bar extending below the point of fruit contact to act as a. drip portion to convey away 5 moisture absorbed by the material in direct contact with the fruit by capillary flow, means for imparting arcuate movement to said bars in both vertical and horizontal directions to thereby assist in rolling the fruit over and over to bring all surfaces repeatedly into contact with the absorbent material.

FRED STEBLER. 

